Method of data transmission between mobile telephones

ABSTRACT

A method of data transmission between mobile telephones, wherein a request signal is sent from a first mobile telephone via a wireless communication interface to a second mobile telephone, and the telephone number of the second mobile telephone is transmitted to the first mobile telephone.

The invention relates to a method of data transmission between mobiletelephones. It also relates to a mobile telephone with which the methodaccording to the invention can be performed.

The number of users of mobile telephones is now very high and continuesto increase. Mobile telephones are used practically everywhere, even invery noisy environments, for example during leisure events orconferences. In such cases, text messages must be sent and received inthe form of SMS (short message service). One condition for this,however, is that the telephone number of the mobile telephone of theother person is known. However, situations are also conceivable in whichaddressing a neighbor is difficult or undesirable, for example in noisyenvironments or during conferences, so it is not possible to makecontact via the mobile telephone. The same conditions apply if freedomof movement is greatly restricted, for example within a crowd of people.In this case, too, the mobile telephone of the contact cannot bereached.

The underlying object of the invention is, therefore, to create a methodfor data transmission between mobile telephones by means of which dataof another mobile telephone can be obtained in order to establishcontact.

This object is achieved with the method of the type mentioned in theopening paragraph, according to the invention, in that a request signalis sent from a first mobile phone via a wireless communication interfaceto a second mobile telephone, and the telephone number of the secondmobile telephone is transmitted to the first telephone.

The initially unknown number of the mobile telephone of another personcan be determined automatically by the process according to theinvention. After transmission of the number of the second mobiletelephone to the first mobile telephone, voice communication or datacommunication can take place between the two telephones. The method hasthe advantage that the telephone number can be safely transmitted evenin noisy environments without the danger of mishearing. The users of themobile telephones can transmit the telephone numbers noiselessly andimperceptibly so that other persons present are not disturbed, forexample during a conference or any leisure event.

Preferably, an infrared interface is used as the wireless communicationinterface. Many mobile telephones are already fitted with an infraredinterface, so that the method according to the invention can beimplemented at relatively low cost. In order to trigger a datatransmission between mobile telephones, the telephones with theirinfrared interfaces are set up so that the first telephone can send arequest signal to the second telephone.

Advantageously, the telephone numbers are transmitted via the infraredinterface. It may alternatively be provided, however, that the telephonenumbers are transmitted via any radio connection, for example, aBluetooth connection and/or a DECT connection and/or a GSM connection.

In a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, it maybe provided that user-specific data of the second telephone can be inaddition to the telephone number transferred. These may be the name ofthe user, his address, land line telephone number or, for example,e-mail address. It is also possible that the data contain information onhis affiliation to a company or institution. In the same way as abusiness card, the user-specific data may contain various private orbusiness information of the user of the second telephone. By the methodaccording to the invention, all data can be simply transmitted to thefirst mobile telephone. The user of the first telephone then has thenecessary information to make contact with the user of the secondtelephone at a later time.

It is expedient if, in a method according to the invention, a message issent from the first mobile telephone to the second mobile telephone.This message may be sent before the data transfer, but may, however,alternatively confirm a successful data transfer. It may be providedthat the message is formed as an SMS message which is sent to the nowknown number of the second mobile telephone. In this way, the owner ofthe second mobile telephone learns the telephone number of the firstmobile telephone, so that a mutual data exchange takes place. Similarly,the SMS message may contain further user-specific data of the firstmobile telephone.

A high security in data transmission is achieved in a method if afterdata transmission a signal is sent to the first and/or second mobiletelephone. The signal may be an optical and/or acoustic and/or vibrationsignal which confirms the error-free data transfer. Similarly, atransmission fault can be indicated.

It may be provided for data protection reasons in the method accordingto the invention that the data transfer function can be switched off bythe user at the second mobile telephone. Thus, the user can determine atwhich times data can be retrieved from his mobile telephone. It may alsobe provided that the user of the second mobile telephone must consent toeach data transfer, so that the transmission of his telephone number orfurther data to unauthorized persons can be prevented.

According to a modification of the method according to the invention, itmay be provided that the data transmission takes place as a function offulfillment of a given or specifiable criterion. The criterion may be auser-specific profile and/or a filter. For example, the profile may bestructured such that the telephone number is sent only to those mobiletelephones which in turn provide their own telephone number. It may alsobe provided that the telephone number is transmitted only to mobiletelephones which have a particular specifiable feature.

In order to perform a data transfer between several mobile telephones,it may be provided that the first mobile telephone displays those secondmobile telephones which are ready for data transfer. This method issuitable, in particular, for a large group, for example in a conference.With the method according to the invention, participants can quicklycheck the numbers of the mobile telephones of other participants.

The mobile service provider can establish whether the data transmissiontakes place between all participants of a GSM network, betweensubscribers within a send/receive cell, or between subscribers of adefined group. This provides a possibility of testing the methodaccording to the invention first in a particular cell and expanding itgradually. It may also be provided that each subscriber must beauthorized before use of the method according to the invention, whereapplicable after payment of a fee.

The invention also relates to a mobile telephone which is designed forimplementing the method according to the invention and a datatransmission system which is formed by a plurality of such mobiletelephones.

These and other aspects of the invention are apparent from and will beelucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter.

The Figure shows a first mobile telephone 1 and a second mobiletelephone 2. Each of the mobile telephones has a display 3, 4, inputkeys 5, 6, and an infrared interface 7, 8. When the user of the firstmobile telephone 1 wishes to learn the telephone number of the secondmobile telephone 2 without disturbing the other subscriber, for exampleduring a conference, the mobile telephones 1, 2 are aligned to eachother as shown in the Figure so that the two infrared interfaces 7, 8can exchange data. The distance between the two mobile telephones 1, 2may be substantially greater than shown in the Figure.

Data transfer begins by the first mobile telephone 1 sending a requestsignal 9 via the infrared interface 7 to the second mobile telephone 2.The request signal 9 is received by the infrared interface 8 of thesecond mobile telephone 2 and evaluated. In the embodiment shown, theuser of the mobile telephone 2 has defined particular groups and personsto whom his telephone number should not be given. It is also possible,conversely, to define such groups or persons to whom transmission of thetelephone number is permitted. After it has been established that thetransfer of the telephone number of telephone 2 to telephone 1 ispermitted, telephone 2 emits an acoustic signal to inform the user thathis telephone number is to be transferred. The user activates a key onkeypad 6 to declare his consent to the data transfer. Then, via theinfrared interface 8, the telephone number of the mobile telephone 2 istransferred to mobile telephone 1 in the form of an infrared signal 10.This telephone number can be stored automatically in a memory of themobile telephone 1. Besides the telephone number, the name of the userof telephone number 2 is additionally transferred.

The telephone number of mobile telephone 1 can then be transmitted inthe same way to telephone 2. Telephone 1 using the GSM network can sendan SMS message to telephone 2 whose telephone number is now known. Thedata transmission is concluded with this confirmation of the successfultransfer of the telephone number.

1. A method of data transmission between mobile telephones,characterized in that a request signal is sent from a first mobiletelephone to a second mobile telephone via a wireless communicationinterface, and the telephone number of the second mobile telephone istransmitted to the first mobile telephone.
 2. A method as claimed inclaim 1, characterized in that an infrared interface is used as thewireless communication interface.
 3. A method as claimed in claim 1,characterized in that the telephone numbers are transmitted via aninfrared interface and/or a radio connection, in particular a Bluetoothconnection, a DECT connection, and/or a GSM connection.
 4. A method asclaimed in claim 1, characterized in that user-specific data of thesecond mobile telephone, such as a name and/or address and/or e-mailaddress, are also transmitted to the first mobile telephone.
 5. A methodas claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a message, preferablyformed as an SMS message, is sent by the first mobile telephone to thesecond mobile telephone.
 6. A method as claimed in claim 1,characterized in that an optical and/or acoustic and/or vibration signalis emitted at the first and/or the second mobile telephone after datatransmission.
 7. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in thatthe data transmission function can be switched off by the user at thesecond mobile telephone.
 8. A method as claimed in claim 1,characterized in that the data transmission takes place as a function offulfillment of a given or specifiable criterion.
 9. A method as claimedin claim 8, characterized in that said criterion comprises auser-specific profile and/or filter.
 10. A method as claimed in claim 1,characterized in that those second mobile telephones which are ready fordata transmission are displayed on the first mobile telephone.
 11. Amethod as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the datatransmission takes place between all subscribers of a GSM network,between subscribers within a send/receive cell, or between subscribersof a defined group.
 12. A mobile telephone, characterized in that it isdesigned for implementing the method as claimed in claim
 1. 13. A datatransmission system, characterized in that it comprises a plurality ofmobile telephones as claimed in claim 12.